Engine staeter



Jan. 29, 1924. 1,482,084

' w. L. MCGRATH ENGINE STARTER Filed Sept. 17 1920 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Jan. 29, 1924. 1,482,084

L. MOGRATH ENGINE STARTER Filed Sept. 17 1920 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 \l In.

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W. L. M GRATH ENGINE STARTER Filed Sept. 17, 1920 :5 Sheets-Sheet 3 'iiiii;

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w M W ,4? 4W Patented Jan. 29, 1924.

STATES KUILLIAM Ii. I'iICGEATI-I, GE E-Lli'fl PANY, O1 1\T Nl-E'W' YORK.

YORK, A CGBPURATION OF NEW YORK.

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ASSZGNOE TC ECLIPSE IYIACHINE C ENGINE STARTER;

Application filed September ation will be apparent from ion hereinaiter given. My 1nierein shown ei'nboclied in that drive vhich is characterized by a member such as screw shaft either directly or indirectly by a er such as the armature shaft of electric n.0tor, and a driving member f to engage a member of the engine and adapted to be operatively the screw shaft and rotated ti I; w iieans of a rew member thread- 25 on the screw'slnilt and actuated thereby.

7E7} X I jie .rture in which my invention is emcharacterized by the provision of ember or pinion loosely mounted you shaft and by a screw member threaded on. the screw shaft and ad l the flywheel and to thereupon i v @l) connect it with the screw shaft rotary motion by its screw action therel 'nion, and in the case of the and mesh and automatic demesh .1 iudinally into mesh with e member by hand or foot after which the screw member performs its funcfen of automatical operatively connectf'iuch pinion with he screw shaft for movement. The pinion and the member are particularly characterized entirely disconnected and physiident each other. wings Fig. 1 is sectional plan sarter system showing a drive in 17, 1920. Serial No. 410,932.

which my invention is embodied; Fig. .2 a view similar to 1 but illustrating the pinion and screw member in a separated perish with the pinion in its furthest ion to the left while ni'irmal; Fig. 3 a section of the drive showing the position oi the parts while driving; Fig. i an end elevation of the pinion; Fig. 5 a section on the line 5 of Fig. i; Fig. 6 an end elevation or the screw member; Fig. 7 a section on the line 7 of Fig. 6; Fig. 8 an end elevaa sleeve; Fig. 9 a section on the line 9 8; Fig. 10 section of a modified "i. i drive; Fi 11 a section on line ll-ll oi .llig. 10; Fig. 12 an elevation of one end of the screw member; Fig. 13 a swiion on the line 13-l3 of Fig. 12; Fig. section of another modified form of truction; Fig. 1.5 a section or" still another modified form; Fig. 16 a sectional elevation of still another modified form of construction constituting the semi-automatic type; and if 1'? a section (on a. smaller scale) taken on line i? of Fig. 16.

For the sake of clear and definite desrription of my invention 1 have selected the oarticular embodiment illustrated in the tniwings without intention of limitation thereto. Moreover while I have shown the direct mounted type and the outboard type of drive, it will. be understood that my in- \GlltlOll is applicable to the COlllliGFfiililii't t po and also the inboard type oi drive.

as herein shown in Fi s. l to 3 the prime mover which is here an electric motor 7. has on extended armature shaft 2 on which the are or transmission is mounted and by 'ch it is rotated. A driving head 3 is cured to the armature or driving shaft 2 i the stud. iand lrey 5. A screw shaft a screw threaded portion 6 and also i at its opposite ends the stud i and to the stud 11.

The driving member here in the fill . the screw shaft both on the screw. threaded portion and plain portion thereof, with the result that this pinion has freedom of movement both rotarily and longitudlnally .1 along substantially the entire length of the 53 preferably made separate for facility in manufacture.

The control or screw member is a nut 16 which is screw threaded upon the threaded portion 6 of the screw shaft and-the same is provided at one end with-a flange17forming'a-complementaryv contact or bearing surface to the flange 15. The pinion and nut are wholly disengaged and the pinion is held ininormal or home position by a yielding means but is permitted a slight longitudinal movement or lost motion while in home positionas indicatedby comparison of Figs. 1 and2, Fig- Lillustrating the furthest position of the pinion to the right and Fig. 2 its furthest position to the left while in normal position. As shown this yielding. means consists of a coiled spring 18 encircling the plain portion of the screw shaft withone end abutting against the stop nut 9 and the other end against a sleeve 19. This sleeve is preferably made of thepeculiar formation illustrated wherein it is seen that it is provided at its outer end with a shell or extension 20 fitting over the spring and adapted to entirely encompass the samev during the driving position as seen in Fig. 3, and also. protect it from being tightly compressed or subjected to the longitudinal pressure of the pinion. This sleeve also has a reduced portion 21 at its inner end over which the bore of the pinion fits as shown in Figs. 2 and? Describing a cycle of operation and starting with the. parts in normal position as shown in either Figs. 1.or.2,. when the motor is rotated the screw shaft will be correspond- V ingly rotated with the result that the screw member. or nut 16 will'be advanced longitudinally to the left carrying with it the pinion 12 and advancing it into mesh with the fly wheel, such movement being against the tension .of the light spring 18. In this operation the sleeve 19 is likewise. moved longitudinally to the left compressing the spring, until the outer end of such sleeve contacts the stop nut whereupon further longitudinal movement of the parts is arrested. However, the screw action on the nut 16 continues and its flange. 17.bears forcibly against the flange 15 of the pinion and thereby binds the latter securely in operative connection with the screw shaft so as to be rotated by the latter. The flywheel is thereupon rotated and when the engine starts on its own power the nut will be antomatically relieved from its binding contact with the pinion and will be automatically screwed back upon the screw shaft whereupon the spring 18 will .deinesh the pinion and restore it to its normal position on the screw shaft.

Referring to the modified form of construction shownin Figs. 10 to 13 1 herein provide means for giving a drag to the nut when substantially in contact with the pinion when in driving position so as to assure thelongitudinal movement of the nut at this time for. the necessary screw action against the pinion for purpose of driving connection between the pinion and the screw shaft. is shown the nut is provided with atransverse opening in which is slidinglyarranged a plunger 28 spring pressed outwardlyv from one side by a coiled spring 2% andlimited in such projection by the washer 25. The engaging head of the plunger is rounded and is adapted to engage ina recess orv recesses 27 in the adjacent contact face of the flange 15 of the pinion. In the event that the nut should rotate with the shaft instead of advancing longitudinally at the time staited, the plunger head 26 will engage in one of the recesses 27 and a sufficient drag will there bybe produced to assure the desired screw action.

In Fig. 141.1 have iilustrated a modified form of construction for the purpose of showing that the spring 18 is not essential, According to this construction the screw shaft has no plain portion but has merely a threaded portion 28. The pinion is advanced into mesh by the nut in tl same manner as before and is arrested in its longitudinal advance movements by the stop nut 9. After the engine has started on its own power the pinion is de'ineshed automatically. by the conveyor action of the screw threads 28, it being understood that the pinion having a large smooth bore bears loosely upon the threads which act to convey the pinion to normal position without the provision of any screw threads in such pinion.

By r anon of the freenoin of the pinion in its mounting andin its rotation, which facilitates the entrance of the pinion teeth between the fly wheel t eth, the possibility of abutment of these teeth is practice. y inated and ifhy any chance such abutting should occur the pinion would he sligh .y turned by the screw member obtain proper register.

In thebroader aspect of my 'nvention the pinion need not be mounted directly on the .llU

screw shaft but may be mounted indirectly thereon as seen in Fig. 15, in which the pinion rests upon a forward extension of the screw member, as well as upon the sleeve 19. In 16 I have shown a modified form of construction according to which the pinion or driving member may be shifted by hand or foot instead of automatically, or may be shifted automatically in case of failure of the manual means to work. In this construction the drive proper is the same as that illustrated in Fig. 1 with the exception that the flange of the pinion is increased in diameter so as to provide an annular portion projecting beyond the circular edge of the flange 1? of the screw member or nut 16. In this modified construction a casing 29 is secured in suitable manner to the frame of the motor 1 and the same encloses the drive and the manual shifting means for the pinion. A rod or shaft 30 is mounted in the casing parallel to the armature shaft 2 and adapted to support a sliding sleeve 31. A. shifter device is secured to the sleeve and provided with yoke 33 whose ends which may be rounded or provided with rollers 34 are adapted to contact the project ing or annual portion of the flange 15' of the pinion 12. A shifter sleeve 35 is mounted on the sleeve 31 and adapted to move the latter longitudinally to the left with a yielding pressure by reason of the interposed coil spring 36 between the shifter device 32 and the sleeve 35. A shifter yoke 3'? secured to the rock shaft 38 which is pivoted in the bracket 39 has its lower or. engaging ends 40 cooperating with the shiftor sleeve 3'. The shaft 38 is rocked by and is connected by means of the arm 41 with a manually or pedally operated plunger 42 normally held in upward or normal position by the coiled spring 43. This plunger is provided with. an adjustable projection or screw 44 which when the plunger is depressed is adapted to contact and operate the button of the switch 46 for supplying, current to the motor after the pinion 12 has been meshed with the flywheel teeth 13.

Describing the operation of this modified form. when. the plunger 42 is depressed the yoke 3? will be rocked in a clockwise direc tion thereby moving the shifter yoke 33 to the left and moving the pinion 12 longitudinally of the screw shaft and into mesh wi h the flywheel. Thereupon current is supplied to the motor and the screw shaft rotated whereupon the nut 16 will be ad vanced longitudinally into contact with the ii ange 15 of the pinion with the same result in the driving operation as stated in connection with the form shown in Fig. 1. When the operator releases the pressure on the plunger 42 which may be either before or after the engine starts on its own power, the manual shifting means will be restored to normal position by means of the spring 43. Then the engine has started on its own power the pinion 12 will be restored to normal position by the spring 18. In the event that the pinion teeth and flywheel teeth should abut end to end the continued depression of the plunger 42 will be taken care of by the spring 36 which will become compressed when the longitudinal shifting movement of the shifter device 32 is arrested at such time. When the screw shaft is rotated by the motor the nut will engage the pinion flange and start to rotate it whereupon full register between the teeth will be obtained and the spring 36 will force the pinion 12 into full mesh whereupon the screw member will follow up the pinion and cooperate therewith in the driving operation as before.

It will be understood that in case the manual means should fail to work for any reason and the button is operated to sup ply current to the motor, the drive will act as a wholly automatic drive inasmuch as the manual means have been so constructed and arranged as not to preclude such automatic action. I

I claim:

1. An engine starter drive including a rotatable shaft, a driving member mounted thereon for longitudinal movement thereof for engagement with a member of the engine to be started, and capable of rotary movement therewith after such engagement, an actuating member mounted for automatic longitudinal movement when such shaft is rotated and for rotary movement therewith when its longitudinal movement is stopped by contact with the driving member, said two members being normally disconnected and free of each other.

2. An engine starter drive including a rotatable shaft, a driving member mounted thereon for longitudinal movement thereof for engagement with a member of the engine to be started, and capable of rotary movement therewith after such engagement, an actuating member mounted for automatic lon itudinal movement when such shaft is rotated and for rotary movement therewith when its longitudinal movement is stopped by contact with the driving member, said driving member being loosely mounted on the shaft and having longitudinal movement thereon independent of. the actuating member, and such two members being normally disconnected and free of each other. i

3. An engine starter drive including a lo tatable shaft, a driving member mounted thereon for longitudinal movement thereof for engagement with a member of the englue to be started, and. capable of rotary movement therewith after such engagement, an actuating member mounted for automatic longitudinal movement when such shaft is rotated and for. rotary movement therewith when its longitudinal movement movement therewith after such engagement,

' an actuating member mounted for automatic longitudinal movement when such shaft is rotated and for rotary movement therewith when its longitudinal movement is stopped by contact with the drivingmember, said shaft having stop means for arresting the longitudinal movement of the driving memher in the direction for its engagement with the engine member and said two members being normally free of each other but having complementary contact surfaces which are in operative engagement only after. the driving member has been arrested in its longitudinal movement by' the stop means.

5. An engine starter drive including a rotatable shaft, a driving member mounted thereon for longitudinal movement thereof for engagement witha member of the engine to be started, and capable of rotary movement therewithafter such engagement, an actuating member mounted for automatic longitudinal movement when such shaft is rotated and for rotary movement therewith when its longitudinal movement is stopped by contact with the driving member, said two members being normally free of each other but having contact surfaces which are normally inoperative and operative only after engagement between the driving and engine members, whereupon the driving member is drivingly connected with the shaft.

6. An engine starter drive including a ro tatable shaft, a driving member. mounted thereon for longitudinal movement thereof for engagement with a member of the enine to be started, and for rotary move ment therewith after such engagement, and an actuating member mounted for automatic longitudinal movement when such shaft is rotated and for rotary movement therewith when its longitudinal movement is stopped by contact with the driving member, said members having rotary and longitudinal movements independently of each other.

7. An engine starter drive including a rotatable shaft, a driving member mounted thereon for longitudinal movement thereof for engagement with a member of the engine to be started, and capable of rotary movement therewith after such engagement, an actuatingmembermounted on the shaft for automatic longitudinal movement there on when such shaft is rotated and for rotary movement therewith when its longitudinal movement is stoppedby contact with the driving member, said two membersbeing normally disconnected and the actuat ing memberliavinga free longitudinal movement independent of the driving member.

8. An engine starter drive including a rotatable screw shaft, a driving member mounted on thescre-w shaft for longitudinalsliding movement thereof, and an actuatin member screw threaded upon such shaft for automaticlongitudinal movement whenthe shaft is rotated, and adapted to engage and rotate the driving member, said drivingmember being loosely mounted on the shaft and having free longitudinal movements. independent of the actuating member. 7

9. An engine starter drive including a rotatable screw shaft, a driving member mounted on the screw shaft for longitudinal sliding'movement thereof, and an actuating member screw threaded upon such shaft for automatic longitudinal movement when the shaft is rotated, and adapted to engage and rotate the driving member, v said driving member being loosely, mounted on the shaft independently of-the actuating member and having free longitudinal movements independent of such actuating member, said two members having complementary contact sur faces whichare" normally inoperative and operative only after engagement between the driving memberand the member of the engine to be started.

10. An engine starter drive including a rotatable screw shaft having a stop means, an actuating member screw threaded upon such shaft for automatic longitudinal movement when the shaft is rotated, and a driving member, mountedfor longitudinal sliding movement on theshaft and normally freely movable between the stop means and the actuating member, and independently of the latter butadapted to be engaged and rotated. thereby when the driving member is arrested by the stop means and is in engagement with a member of the engine to be started.

11. An engine starter drive. including a rotatable screw shafthaving a stop means, an actuating member screw threaded upon such shaft for automatic longitudinal move ment when the shaft is rotated, and a pinion adapted to engage a member of the engine to be started and having a smooth bore receiving such screw shaft and loosely mounted on the screw shaft for longitudinal sliding movement thereon, and normally freely movable between the stop means and the actuating member and independently of the latter, but a apted to be clamped there between for rotary movement when the actuating member has been moved longitudlnally and the pinion has been arrested by the stop means and has engaged the engine member.

12. An engine starter drive including, a rotatable screw shaft having a sto means, an actuatin member screw threa ed upon such shaft for automatic longitudinal movement when the shaft is rotated, and a driving member adapted to engage a member of the engine to be started and having a smooth bore receiving such screw shaft and mounted to slide on the screw shaft, said driving member being adapted to be clamped between the stop means and the actuating member and to be thereupon drivingly connected with the shaft, sald two members being normally disconnected.

13. An engine starter drive including a rotatable screw shaft having a stop means,

an actuating member screw threaded upon.

such shaft for automatic longitudinal'movement when the shaft is rotated, and a driving pinion adapted to mesh with a member of the engine 'to be started and havinga smooth bore for sliding. movement longitudinally of the shaft, said pinion being freely movable longitudinally independently of the actuating member and adapted to be clamped between the stop means and the actuating member by the screw action of the latter on the screw shaft when rotated, and to be thereupon rotated by such clamping action of the actuating member with the pinion.

i l. An engine starter drive including a rotatable screw shaft, a nut threaded thereon for free longitudinal movement "in both directions on such shaft when the latter is rotated, and a pinion mounted to slide freely on the shaft in the path of movement of the nut in one direction, and, at the limit of movement in such direction adapted to be engaged and drivingly connected with'the shaft by the screw action of the nut against its pinion.

15. An engine starter drive including a rotatable member, a driving memberloosely mounted thereon and adapted to engage a member of the engine to be started, yielding means for norn ally holding such driving member out of such engagement, and a control member-mounted on the rotatable memher for automatic longitudinal movement thereon and in its longitudinal movement adapted to contact such driving member and operatively connect it with the rotatable member for rotary movement after'saidengagement with the engine member.

16. An engine starter drive including a rotatable member, a driving member loosely mounted thereon and adapted to enga e a member of the engine to be started, yiel ing means for. normally holding such driving mcmberout of such engagement, and a control member mounted on the rotatable member for automatic longitudinal movement thereon and in its longitudinal movement adapted to contact such driving. member and operatively connect it with the rotatable member. for rotarymovement after said engagement with the engine member, said yielding means consisting of a coiled spring arranged in the path of longitudinal advance movement of the driving member.

17. An engine starter drive including a rotatable member, a driving member loosely mounted thereon and adapted to enga e a member of the engine to be started, yielding means for normally holding such driving member out of such engagement and a control member mounted on the rotatable memher for automatic longitudinal movement thereon and in its longitudinal movement adapted tocontact such driving member and operatively connect it' with the rotatable member for rotary movement after said engagemnt with the' engine member, said yielding means consisting of a sleeve loosely mounted on. the rotatable member in advance'of the driving member and tending to resist the longitudinal advance movement thereof, and a spring for backing up said sleeve.

18. An engine starter drive including a rotatable member, a driving member loosely mounted thereon and adapted to engage a member-of the engine to be started, yielding means for normally holding such driving member out of suchengagement, and a control member mounted on the rotatable member for automatic longitudinal movement thereon and in its longitudinal movement adapted to contact such'driving member and operatively connect it with the rotatable member. forrotary movement after said engagement with the engine member, said yielding means consisting'of a sleeve loosely mounted on the rotatablemember in advance of the driving member and tending to resist the longitudinal advance movement thereof, and a spring for backing up said sleeve, said sleeve having a reduced portion and the driving member having a base whose front end fits upon such portion.

19. An engine starter drive including a rotatable member, a driving member loosely mounted thereon and adapted toengage a member of the engine to lee-started, yielding. means for normally holding such-driving member out of such engagement, and a control member mounted on the rotatable member for automatic longitudinal movemee them an in ts longi ud a wa vance of the driving member and tending to resist the longitudinal advance movement thereof, and a spring for backing up said sleeve, said sleeve having a shell extension 20. An engine starter drive including a rotatable shaft having a plain portion and a screw threaded portion, a pinion adapted to engage a member of the engine to be started and having a smooth bore fitting loosely upon said two portions, yielding means for normally holding the pinion on the screw threaded portion, a stop nut at the outer end of such plain portion, and a screw member threaded on such threaded portion and cooperating with the pinion, said yielding means consisting of a sleeve loosely mounted and movablelongitudinally up on said plain portion and arranged in the path of longitudinal movement of the pinion, and a spring encircling such plain portion for yieldingly holding such sleeve in an inward position towards the pinion, said sleeve having a shell portion fitting over such spring and also over such stop nut when the sleeve. is moved thereagainst by the pinion.

21. An engine starter drive including a' rotatable shaft having a plain portion and a screw threaded portion a pinion adapted to engage a member of the engine to be started and having a smooth bore fitting loosely upon said two portions, yielding means for normally holding the pinion on the screw threaded portion, and a screw member threaded on such threaded portion and adapted to be automatically moved longitudinally by rotation of such shaft and to contact the pinion to operatively connect it with the shaft for rotary movement there with, said yielding means consisting of a sleeve loosely mounted and movable longitudinally upon said plain portion and arranged. in the path of longitudinal movenent of the pinion, and a spring encircling such plain portion for yieldingly holding such: sleeve in. a normal position against said threaded portion.

22. An engine starter drive including a' rotatable screw threaded shaft, a driving member loosely mounted thereon and adapted to engage a member of the engine to be started, a screw member threaded on the shaft and adapted to contact and bear against the driving member, and means mounted on one of the members and cooperating with the other member but unattached thereto forimparting a drag to the screw .member to assure longitudinal movement on the shaft.

23. An engine starter drive including a rotatable screw threaded shaft, a driving pressed member mounted on the screw memher and adapted to yieldingly engage the driving member when in proximity thereto to assure longitudinal movement of the screw member on the shaft and a consequent forcible cont-act thereof with the driving member.

24. An engine starter drive including a rotatable screw threaded shaft, a driving member loosely mounted thereon and adapted to engage a member of the engine to be started, a screw member threaded on the shaft and adapted to contact and bear against the driving member, said driving member having on one end an annular flange provided with a recess, and said screw member having a face adapted to contact said flange, and a spring pressed device mounted in the screw member and adapted to engage such recess when in proximity thereto.

25. An engine starter drive including a rotatable shaft, a driving member mounted thereon for longitudinal movement thereof for engagement with a member of the enginev to be started and capable of rotary movement therewith after such engagement; an actuating member mounted upon and operatively connected with the shaft and capable of longitudinal movement thereof and of rotary movement therewith, and a friction clutch interposed between said driving and actuating members and forming the driving connection between them, such clutch being under substantially no tension when the driving member is in disengaged position,

26. An engine starter drive including a rotatable screw shaft, a pinion loosely mounted thereon and capable of longitudinal movement thereof for engagement with a member of the engine to be started and of rotary movement therewith after such engagement, a screw member threaded upon the screw shaft and capable of longitudinal movement thereof and of rotary movement therewith. and a friction clutch interposed between the pinion and said screw member and forming the driving connection between them, such clutch being under substantially no tension when the driving member is in disengaged position.

27. An engine starter drive including a rotatable shaft, a driving member mounted thereon for longitudinal movement thereof for engagement with a member of the engine to be startedand capable of rotary move ment therewith after such engagement, an actuating member mounted upon and operatively connected with the shaft and capable of longitudinal movement thereof, and of rotary movement therewith, means for arresting said longitudinal movement 01 the driving member and a friction clutch interposed between the actuating and the driving memhere, said clutch being normally inoperative and operative only fter engagement be tween the driving member and the engine member whereupon the actuating member and the driving member are di'ivingly eonneeted.

WILLIAM L. MOGRATH. 

